Full Moon Secret
by DancesWithSeatbelts
Summary: Natsu had wanted to tell Lucy his secrets, to share his family history with the fey...it had just never been the right time. Tonight the truth was going to be revealed, one way or another.   Written for the Halloween Gift Fic Exchange


Another eerie howl echoed; Natsu moved closer to Lucy, demanding her hand - it was too dark to see much inside the forest despite the full moon.

"T-th-there's no wolves in this area, is there?"

Natsu glanced about the path, as if that would reassure his new wife. "No, no wolves." A pair of yellow eyes appeared and he added, "Only werewolves."

"Such tales won't scare me." She giggled and smiled, anticipating Natsu would laugh and reassure her.

Natsu stopped walking. Squeezing Lucy's hand, he stood toe to toe with her. "The fey creatures live free here. My family keeps an ancient pact, and you, my new dear wife, will always be safe."

She smiled wider. "You have always been my shelter."

His lips quirked, nothing but amusement on his darkly tanned face. "I would be ashamed if I were unable to care for you properly. We've waited so long to marry. I feared your father would keep making excuses." Natsu spun about as several branches breaking sounded from behind. "Who goes there?"

No answer. No voice bringing greetings, nor a friendly shout. More yellow eyes appeared, creating a wide spread circle.

Lucy clutched her husband's arm. "You were joking about werewolves, were you not?" Her voice rose high and thin as the eyes came closer, bodies still hidden in the darkest of shadows. "I -"

"Leave." A tone of command rang in Natsu's voice. "I have time left yet, and I would settle my wife..." With a flourish of his cape, Natsu turned to face his bride, clasping her to his chest. "You will like the home I made for you."

Lucy snuggled into his embrace. "I am anxious to see for myself if all the tales you spun have any truth to them. Is our home filled with book shelves as you promised? There are trunks of books being delivered in the coming weeks."

"I wish never to lie to my dearest." Still calm, and pleased the yellow eyes had decided to vanish, Natsu shifted the single rucksack of possessions his bride had packed for tonight. "We pass by running water soon. It has a stark beauty in the moonlight, but not so fair as you my love."

"Such honeyed words." Lucy elbowed Natsu. "Which friend coached you? I like your plain and honest speaking. I fell in love with you without needing flattery."

"Let me be honest." Natsu began walking a faster pace; checking to see his beautiful wife was able to match his strides. "I saw it in a book and thought of you. "

Lucy snorted, pretending it was the speed of their travel causing her outburst.

"S'truth." Natsu hurried his steps. A half hour of travel, spent comfortably chatting brought them to flowing water, the path they followed skirting its edge.

Lucy admitted it was a spell-binding scene; the moon a brilliant circle near the middle of the water, the flow of the water creating thousands of reflecting sparkles. She advanced to the edge and stared.

Today had been the miracle she'd feared would never come. An unending haggle over her dowry and even longer engagement had her despairing of securing her future with Natsu. But now! Now, she was wed and soon to be bedded. Lucy looked into the sky, the brightness of her smile outshining the twinkling stars. Her new and wonderful life started now.

Natsu counted his blessings. Lucy's father hadn't meant to throw so many obstacles in their paths (he hoped), it had turned out that way. Natsu had wanted to tell Lucy his secrets, to share his family history with the fey...it had just never been the right time.

Screams, shouting and flames flickered up across the river. Dark heavy smoke and orange flames danced, adding colour to the surface of the water.

"What village is that?" Lucy didn't mean to shout her question, but the surprise of seeing such devastation and hearing the crackling of flames compete with shrill screams spooked her more than she wanted to admit.

"There's nothing we can do to help." Natsu caught Lucy by the elbow, towing her away from the water's edge. "You don't have to watch this," he looked over his shoulder, sighed and walked further. "Once I get you home, the charms will keep you safe."

"You talk of keeping a sworn pact, and you won't go to the aid of a village you must surely know?" Lucy dug her heels in and refused to budge. "I see a selfish man, or perhaps you are terrified of fire?"

"Fire is not my enemy, and that village is beyond help." Natsu's features were pinched. Arguing wasted time he didn't have, he needed to reach cover before he showed his new wife much more than what she could handle.

"How can you say that? The screams, they chill my blood!"

Natsu pulled her to the path and pointed back to the spot they'd occupied. "T'was a trick of the fey, there is nothing there."

Lucy rubbed her eyes and peered over the moonlit water. No flames, no screams, no village. "A foul trick indeed."

"The fey have their own ideas of right and wrong," Natsu tugged on Lucy's hand, "and mortals need not interfere."

"You've not shown this side to me before." A chill breeze rattled the branches they were under, Lucy pulled her hand free to adjust her cloak. "But the excitement of our marriage has me tired, and I am not quite myself. How much farther to your shelter?"

"Our home." Natsu smiled, his mood buoyed by thoughts of his cozy house. "It boasts a fine kitchen and two storage rooms - and I have added many improvements."

"Wife doesn't mean unpaid servant."

"I would rather a happy companion."

This time when Natsu grinned, Lucy smiled back and accepted his escorting arm. "I will make you the happiest of husbands if you keep your promises - including those you made about tonight. I shall be very happy indeed." She winked and laughed to see him blush.

It seemed mere minutes later they arrived, Natsu's house exuding a welcoming charm the village Lucy had grown up in lacked. Constructed of wattle and daub, it created a harmonious scene with the giant tree growing beside.

Natsu whistled, two sharp, short blasts. A cat came hurtling out of the dark, launching itself into Natsu's arms.

"This must be Happy! I've always wanted a pet." Lucy stooped to pick up her rucksack - Natsu having dropped it to catch his cat. "You didn't tell me you'd trained him to come to a whistle!"

"I needed a distraction when your father wouldn't let me visit."

Lucy looked askance at Natsu. She must be far more tired than she thought, for her ears had heard 'I'm not a pet' in a peevish tone.

Natsu coughed and gave his cat a strange look, setting it onto the ground with an order to behave and be silent.

Too tired to deal with nonsensical events, Lucy hugged her precious belongings and sighed.

"Follow me," Natsu fished a key from the depths of a pocket, unlocked the door and stepped inside. Much faster than Lucy expected, Natsu lit a lamp.

Drawn to the shelves with dusty tomes, Lucy walked as in a trance -her hands seeking to caress the bindings.

"Oh!" Natsu picked up a smaller lantern and made it pour more welcome light into the room. "I found some older books on one of my travels. I haven't cleaned them yet." He joined her in front of them and made to hang the light above the shelves.

"No - I would become lost in them. Tomorrow is time enough." Lucy gave one last longing look to the leather and vellum bound treasures. "Did you prepare a separate chamber for sleep?"

The cat jumped on a small table near Lucy and started to make noise, like it was trying to purr but hadn't the knowledge of how it should sound.

"Yes. Your mother's coverlet arrived yesterday. I took special care to make room for your possessions."

"Many thanks, Natsu."

A chorus of eerie howls made Lucy drop her rucksack. The sudden attack of sound, so close and clear made her check the room. As if wolves would appear inside a dwelling - laughable!

A distinctly disgruntled look crossed her husband's face. Natsu sighed, grabbed his chin and rubbed. "Not now!"

A small chirpy voice spoke. "Yes now, Natsu!"

Strangely calm, Lucy looked around the room, searching for the speaker.

The chirpy voice spoke again, "Look lower!"

"Not now!" Natsu repeated, now clearly agitated and frantic. He dimmed the lights and gave a sickly grin to his bride. "It sounds like they've waited long enough."

"Who?" Lucy side stepped, brushed against Natsu's cat and screeched. The cat, on his hind legs, used his front paws to pull his tail out of harms way and then he frowned at her.

"You remember how I could never visit on nights of the full moon?" Natsu rubbed his stomach, shifting his weight. "I wanted to explain this before, but the timing never worked out."

"Happy spoke." Lucy looked at the beast still standing upright. "He speaks!"

Happy rolled his eyes and sniped, "Duh!"

"Happy, not now!" Natsu glared at the animal. "If you're not going to help - you should go."

"I'm imagining this, aren't I?" Lucy begged Natsu with her eyes - 'tell me I'm dreaming.'

"Funny story," began Natsu, "you married an honorary werewolf..."


End file.
